Cylinder processing device

Abstract

A processing apparatus for a plurality of cylinders that includes a superstructure having a support frame and a rotary structure mounted to the support frame for rotation about a rotational axis. The rotary structure includes a plurality of cylinder stations, angularly spaced about the rotational axis, each configured, in use, to receive a cylinder a plurality of restraining arms, each restraining arm corresponding to a respective cylinder station, and a locking mechanism coupled to the plurality of restraining arms. Each restraining arm is moveable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. In the closed configuration the restraining arm contacts a cylinder received on the corresponding cylinder station to restrain the cylinder on the cylinder station. In the open configuration, the restraining arm is retracted away from said cylinder received on the corresponding cylinder station such that a cylinder can be removed from the cylinder station or placed on the cylinder station. The locking mechanism has an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration. In the unlocked configuration movement of the plurality of restraining arms between said closed and open configurations is possible. In the locked configuration, movement of the plurality of restraining arms from said closed configuration to said open configuration is prevented by the locking mechanism.

1 . A processing apparatus for a plurality of cylinders, the processing apparatus comprising:
 a superstructure comprising a support frame;   a rotary structure mounted to the support frame for rotation about a rotational axis, the rotary structure comprising
 a plurality of cylinder stations, angularly spaced about the rotational axis, each configured, in use, to receive a cylinder; 
 a plurality of restraining arms, each restraining arm corresponding to a respective cylinder station, wherein each restraining arm is moveable between:
 a closed configuration in which, in use, the restraining arm contacts a cylinder received on the corresponding cylinder station to restrain the cylinder on the cylinder station; and 
 an open configuration in which, in use, the restraining arm is retracted away from said cylinder received on the corresponding cylinder station such that a cylinder can be removed from the cylinder station or placed on the cylinder station; and 
 
 a locking mechanism coupled to the plurality of restraining arms, the locking mechanism having:
 an unlocked configuration in which movement of the plurality of restraining arms between said closed and open configurations is possible; and 
 a locked configuration in which movement of the plurality of restraining arms from said closed configuration to said open configuration is prevented by the locking mechanism. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing apparatus has one of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 cylinder stations. 
     
     
         3 . The processing apparatus of  claims 1 , wherein the rotary structure further comprises a rotary frame, supporting the cylinder stations. 
     
     
         4 . The processing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of restraining arms are coupled to the rotary frame. 
     
     
         5 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the movement of the plurality of restraining arms between said closed and open configurations comprises a rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the movement of the plurality of restraining arms between said closed and open configurations comprises a linear motion. 
     
     
         7 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises one or more locking transducers. 
     
     
         8 . The processing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the one or more locking transducers is coupled to two or more restraining arms. 
     
     
         9 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of restraining arms exerts a restraining force on a cylinder received, in use, on the respective cylinder station, when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration; wherein the restraining force is less than a buckling force of the cylinder. 
     
     
         10 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing apparatus is configured to carry out hydrostatic testing on said plurality of cylinders. 
     
     
         11 . The processing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processing apparatus further comprises a hydrostatic testing module, said hydrostatic testing module comprises:
 filling apparatus configured to be secured to at least one opening of each cylinder and to introduce water into each cylinder and pressurize said introduced water; and   a pressure monitoring apparatus configured to measure a pressure within each of said plurality of cylinders when filled with said introduced water.   
     
     
         12 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing apparatus is configured to carry out pickling operations. 
     
     
         13 . The processing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each restraining arm includes a filling portion configured to inserted, in use, into one or more openings provided in the cylinder located on the respective cylinder station, wherein the filling portion is configured to provide a fluid connection to a source of pickling fluid, so as to introduce pickling solution into the cylinder. 
     
     
         14 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each restraining arm comprises a main body and a yoke located at a distal end of the main body, the yoke being configured to contact at least a portion of an outer surface of a cylinder received on the respective cylinder station when the restraining arm is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The processing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the yoke of each restraining arm is pivotably mounted to the main body. 
     
     
         16 . The processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism enters the unlocked configuration from the locked configuration when energised. 
     
     
         17 . The processing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the locking mechanism passively adopts the locked configuration on de-energisation. 
     
     
         18 . A method of carrying out a processing operation on a plurality of cylinders using a processing apparatus, the processing apparatus comprising:
 a superstructure comprising a support frame;   a rotary structure mounted to the support frame, the rotary structure comprising a plurality of cylinder stations, angularly spaced about a rotational axis, and a plurality of restraining arms, each restraining arm corresponding to a respective cylinder station, and   a locking mechanism coupled to the plurality of restraining arms;   wherein the method comprises:   rotating the rotary structure relative to the support frame about the rotational axis, receiving a cylinder on each cylinder station;   moving each restraining arm between:
 a closed configuration in which, in use, the restraining arm contacts a cylinder received on the corresponding cylinder station to restrain the cylinder on the cylinder station; and 
 an open configuration in which, in use, the restraining arm is retracted away from said cylinder received on the corresponding cylinder station such that a cylinder can be removed from the cylinder station or placed on the cylinder station; 
   changing the state of the locking mechanism between:
 an unlocked configuration in which movement of the plurality of restraining arms between said closed and open configurations is possible; and 
 a locked configuration in which movement of the plurality of restraining arms from said closed configuration to said open configuration is prevented by the locking mechanism; 
   carrying out a processing operation on each cylinder.   
     
     
         19 . The method of carrying out a processing operation on a plurality of cylinders of  claim 18  using the processing apparatus, the processing apparatus further comprising:
 a hydrostatic testing module, the hydrostatic testing module comprising filling apparatus for the plurality of cylinders; and 
 a pressure monitoring apparatus for each of said plurality of cylinders; 
 
       wherein the method further comprises:
 securing the filling apparatus to at least one opening of each cylinder; 
 the filling apparatus introducing water into each cylinder; 
 the filling apparatus pressurising said introduced water; 
 the pressure monitoring apparatus measuring a pressure within each of said plurality of cylinders, when water has been introduced into each cylinder and pressurized, over a period of time; 
 draining the water from the cylinder. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of carrying out a processing operation on a plurality of cylinders of  claim 18  using the processing apparatus, the processing apparatus further comprising:
 a filling portion, coupled to each restraining arm; 
 
       wherein the method further comprises:
 inserting each filling portion into one or more openings provided in a cylinder located on the respective cylinder station; 
 providing a fluid connection between each filling portion and a source of pickling fluid; 
 introducing pickling solution from the source of pickling solution into each cylinder via the respective filling portion and said fluid connection; 
 allowing the pickling solution to react with each cylinder, whilst the rotary structure is rotated to agitate said introduced pickling solution; 
 draining the pickling solution from each cylinder. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises, loading each of the plurality of cylinders, so as to be received by the respective cylinder station, whilst the respective restraining arm is in the open configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises unloading each of the plurality of cylinders from the respective cylinder station, whilst the respective restraining arm is in the open configuration.